October trees

A Sweet Chestnut that I hadn't noticed before,
to the left of the entrance.

Looking into the wood from the roadside. Most of the
trees holding onto the leaves in mid-October.

 

October fungi

The Lookout tree

This huge Oak  tree has a history, but as yet, I don't know the full story. It has metal climbing pins set into the trunk and a more recent rope attached alongside.
I have been told that it was used for Communication when the local coal mines were in use but whether that means the mines that were actually in the wood (not yet found) or in the vicinity, is a mystery.  This tree is at the highest part of the woodland but I am too chicken to climb it and see how high you can go! Any volunteers?

More photos

 The sleeper bridge. Another stream runs downhill to join the main stream near the bridge. The 2 streams run in opposite directions to each other.

 Ivy as thick as your arm!

 The main stream that flows through the wood.

 The downhill stream that has carved its way through the rock.

 Just inside the entrance gate.

 The track to the clearing.

A fallen oak tree has been cut into seats. A peaceful spot to look across the woodland.

First visit as owner!!

I have the key to the gate and a big hole in my bank account - but who cares?
The feel of the wood today was so different from my other visits. Today, I knew that if I didn't want that sapling I could cut it down and I could unblock the streams or rebuild the bridge and nobody could stop me.!

The bluebells are out now, a very dark blue, and most of the trees are in leaf. Some are so tall that I cannot identify the leaves but there are oak, beech and sycamore definitely, maybe ash too. Clusters of mountain ash and a grove of holly and hawthorn. Hazel just asking to be coppiced. Around my feet, dog roses and honeysuckle, and plenty of bramble. A bank of wood sorrel that has also colonised a fallen tree, green with lichen and ferns. How many years ago did that one fall?

More March flowers

                                          Wood anemone

                                          Wood Sorrel

What Slant?

A map of the wood in about 1950 shows  a  "Disused Slant", above the stream but is maddeningly unspecific about its exact location. I know that there is a battered and rusty Dram near the stream and a possible spoil heap nearby.

My 4th visit aimed to locate the Slant but there are no obvious places. Perhaps it would help if I knew what I was looking for! Found the Dram which is on the spit of land between the 2 streams, that run in opposite directions to each other. Adjacent to the Dram is a spoil heap which has black stone in it. From the Dram itself I pulled a large lump of very heavy black rock but is it coal or iron ore? The stream  runs through an orange coloured patch of ground so iron ore seems likely. I would have preferred it to be coal though to keep the home fires burning! Rosie likes it though!